Airport Details
Airport Full Name
Kingston International Airport
IATA Code
KIN
Location:
The airport is located 11 miles (18km) south east of
Kingston.
Airport Facilities
Money and communications: ATMs and currency exchange in the departures area.
Luggage: There are free baggage carts in the baggage claim hall, and a lost and found office in the arrivals area.
Conference and business: Air Jamaica, British Airways and American Airlines have business class lounges in the departures area.
Other facilities: Baby changing facilities, wheelchair assistance, health centre (in arrivals area).
Wi-fi: There is wi-fi access in the departure lobby.
Information: There are customer service desks in the departure area, the public arrivals area and the immigration hall.
Food and Drink: There's a decent selection of eateries at the airport, especially after security in the departures area. If you're not feeling adventurous there's the usual Burger King, but otherwise, you have your pick of sweet, spicy and savoury at one of several restaurants and cafés offering delicious local fare. There are duty-free stores in both the arrivals and departures areas.
Shopping: In addition to the usual newsagent, there's a good selection of stores to pick up a last-minute gift for family and friends back home - choose from a selection of Reggae music, aromatherapy items or some Jamaican coffee, rum and other delicacies.
Transfers
Train: The train service in Jamaica, discontinued in 1992, opened a few lines in April 2011 with planes for an cross-country system once again. There is a station in Kingston, although the service currently doesn't run there.
Taxi: You can get a taxi from the airport to town for about JMD 2500, or less if you're prepared to haggle.
Bus: There's a good, extensive government-run public bus network across Kingston, with three major stations in town - the Downtown Transport Center, the ultra-modern Half-Way Tree Transport Center, or Cross Roads. You can catch buses across Kingston and Jamaica in general.
Contact
Tel: +1 876 924 8452.
Climate Details (C)
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
| Min | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| Max | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 |
Travel Guides: Kingston
General Information
The capital of Jamaica, Kingston jives to the beat of the infectious reggae music that was born here and has swept through the world. It is the largest English-speaking city south of Miami, lying on a wide plain with the world's seventh-largest natural harbour to the south, and the Blue Mountains behind.
Jamaica itself may have the image of being laid back and rather slow, but cosmopolitan Kingston moves at a fast pace, in keeping with its importance as the dominant force on the island politically, commercially and culturally.
Tourists tend not to stay in Kingston as such, generally heading for the northern and western beaches and resorts instead, but the city does have a wide array of historical and cultural attractions, not to mention a very sophisticated and sizzling nightlife.
Kingston was founded in 1692 after the demise of nearby Port Royal, the former capital, which was devastated by an earthquake. Port Royal was known as the 'wicked city', being the haunt of decadent aristocrats and swashbuckling pirates. Kingston has tried to be more dignified, but it is a little grimy and crime is rife. There are also some inner-city neighbourhoods to avoid, which are more prone to drug-related killings and gang violence.
Getting Around
Public transport is not recommended for visitors to Kingston due to overcrowding and unsafe conditions aboard the buses, and driving conditions are chaotic. Downtown is easily navigable on foot, but walking anywhere at night is not advisable. Taxis come in various shapes, sizes and vintages, but should bear a red licence plate with the letters 'PPV' indicating it is an authorised taxi. Passengers should negotiate a fare before setting off.
Activities
Spanish Town, Kingston
The neighbourhood known as Spanish Town is on the western outskirts of Kingston, and was capital of the island under Spanish rule between 1662 and 1872. Today the architecture is an interesting mix of Spanish and British Georgian, and there are some historic attractions to explore. St James Cathedral is the oldest Anglican church outside England, having been built in 1523. The Jamaican People's Museum of Crafts and Technology showcases some vintage farm implements, musical instruments and pottery, and the Town Square is overlooked by the Old King's House, former residence of Jamaica's British governors that once hosted Admiral Lord Nelson and Captain Bligh of HMS Bounty infamy. Spanish Town also has a very busy, colourful local market in the Town Square.
Hope Botanical Gardens, Kingston
This 20-hectare (50-acre) oasis of beauty in the middle of downtown Kingston features pleasant paths that meander past manicured lawns and tranquil gardens, including a cactus garden, orchid house, a forest garden and an ornamental pond. The gardens are situated next to the campus of the University of the West Indies, and also contain a small zoo and interesting aviary.
Opening Times:
Gardens: open daily from 8.30am to 6.30pm; Zoo: open
daily from 10am to 5pm
Admission:
Gardens: Free admission; Zoo: JMD 20 (adults), JMD 10
(children 4-12)
National Gallery, Kingston
Jamaica's important art collection is often overlooked by tourists, but is well worth visiting. Kingston's National Gallery displays the works of Jamaica's talented artists, particularly that of Edna Manley, 19th-century sculptor and the wife of a former prime minister of Jamaica. Manley's acclaimed Ghetto Motherstands in the main lobby of the national gallery, along with a bronze statue by Christopher Gonzalez of reggae singer Bob Marley. Other highlights of the collection are the religious works of Mallica Reynolds, who has been hailed by art critics as a modern genius.
Opening Times:
Open Tuesday to Thursday from 10am to 4.30pm, Friday
from 10am to 4pm, Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Guided tours are
available
Admission:
JMD 250 (adults), with concessions available
Bob Marley Museum, Kingston
Jamaica's world-famous son, singer-songwriter Bob Marley, was responsible for making reggae music a global phenomenon. The popular Rastafarian became a cult figure even before his death in 1981, caused by cancer when he was only 36 years old. The museum devoted to his memory is the most-visited sight in Kingston. The simple clapboard house was where Marley lived and recorded his music until he died, and is now packed with Marley memorabilia. There are also screenings of a movie about the singer's life.
Opening Times:
Open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4pm (tours run
every hour)
Admission:
US$20 (foreign adults), US$10 (foreign children 4-12);
local residents pay reduced prices in local currency
Tuff Gong Recording Studio, Kingston
Jamaica is about music and beaches and feeling the rhythm, and what better way to learn about Jamaica than to visit a local recording studio and record shop. The Tuff Gong Studio is the biggest and arguably the best studio in Jamaica. Artists such as Ziggy and Damian Marley have recorded there, as well as Roberta Flack. Visitors can organise tours of the studio or visit the record shop attached for a look at the great selection music on sale.
Jablum Coffee Company, Kingston
At the Blue Mountain hamlet of Mavis Bank, on the trail to Blue Mountain Peak, is the Jablum Coffee Company. The 100-year-old company is famous for its Blue Mountain coffee, and visitors can tour the working factory to watch the production process along with sampling the brew.
Opening Times:
Open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 11am and 1pm to
3pm
Admission:
US$8 for tour (by appointment only)
Blue Mountains, Kingston
Towering across eastern Jamaica, the 28-mile (45km) long mountain range is constantly shrouded in a mist that gives the mountains their bluish colour. The John Crow National Park at the base of the mountains was established to preserve the diverse range of species that call the Blue Mountains home. Among them are more than 800 endemic plant species, 200 bird species and 500 flowering plant varieties as well as the world's second-largest variety butterfly. The mountains are also home to Jamaica bamboo, which only flowers every 33 years. The lowest slopes of the mountain are taken up by coffee plantations, as well as patches of vegetable beds and spice cultivation. The coffee that is grown on the slopes is world-renowned and visitors can organise tours of some of the larger coffee estates. Visitors to the Blue Mountains can climb the highest peak by way of the Peak Trail, which starts at Abbey Green. Most hikers spend a night in one of the cabins on the mountain and local advice or guides are highly recommended. Bicycle tours of the Blue Mountains can also be arranged through local tour companies. Taking a bicycle tour is an ideal way to explore the foothills of the mountain range.
Admission:
200 JMD (park entrance fee)
Port Royal, Kingston
Port Royal was once a 17th-century haven for a variety of hedonistic pirates and malcontents dedicated to looting Spanish vessels throughout the Caribbean. One morning in 1692, however, an earthquake and tidal wave destroyed most of the town along with a couple of thousand residents. Today, the former haunt of notorious pirates like Henry Morgan, Blackbeard and Calico Jack is just a fishing village, sited at the tip of a narrow peninsula stretching across the entrance to Kingston's harbour. The village can be reached by ferry from West Beach Dock, Kingston, in about 20 minutes. Plans are underway at the site to transform the village into a living history museum. Relics of the town's wicked past can be seen at the Museum of Historical Archaeology, the Maritime Museum and Giddy House (a building that tilts at an angle). Fort Charles is the last remaining of six forts originally built to protect the port.
Devon House, Kingston
Devon House in Kingston is a prime example of Jamaican Georgian architecture. Visitors to Jamaica should definitely visit this national monument and landmark. The house was built by Jamaica's first black millionaire, George Stiebel, at the end of the 19th Century. The house is furnished with a number of antiques and evokes the feel of a 'Jamaican Great House' from the period between 1860 and 1870. There are also a number of shopping and dining areas in the house.
Admission:
JMD 300, (adults), JMD 100 (children under 12).
Admission includes a guided tour
Events
Bob Marley Week
Reggae fans and Rastafarians gather in Kingston during the first week of February each year to enjoy a feast of events lined up to commemorate the life and music of Jamaica's best-known son, Bob Marley. Apart from a concert, the week includes symposiums, lectures, karaoke contests, a fashion show, exhibitions and various other events related to Marley, who died of cancer in 1981. The week is organised by the Bob Marley Foundation in conjunction with the Bob Marley Museum.
Date:
2 - 8 February 2012
Bacchanal Jamaica
Jam-packed with spectacle, pageantry and revelry, the biggest festival in Jamaica is a good-natured annual bash that takes the island's music into the streets of Kingston. Since the first carnival in 1990 the event has grown phenomenally, to attract tens of thousands of costumed merry-makers and spectators who congregate over the carnival weeks and line the route for the final Parade. Other centres on the island also hold carnival events, and contestants from the different parishes vie for the title of 'Soca Monarch', dancing in a special competition.
Date:
24 February - 15 April 2012
Venue:
Liguanea Park
